Chimney cleaner



Aug. 25, 1942'.

.G. A. PEARSON 2,293,847

CHIMNEY CLEANER Filed Oct. 1, 1941 (2 mm Vz'ZZe JZPeanson INVENTOR ATTO R N EYS Patented Aug 25, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHIMNEY CLEANER Granville A. Pearson, Chesterfield, Ind. Application October 1, 1941, Serial No. 413,210

2 Claims. (01. 15-249) This invention relates to chimney cleaners and is a continuation-in-part of application of the same title filed October 24, 1939, Serial No. 301,024.

An object is to provide a device of this character having a substantially rectangular track around which wind operated chains are guided by rollers fitting in the track so that chains clean soot off the entire inner surface of the chimney including the corners.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having a wind vane connected by ratchet mechanism to the driving shaft of the chain mechanism so that variations in wind will permit the vane to move the ratchet device a few notches at a time to assure the chains being positively moved counter-clockwise around the entire inner surface of the chimney.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be restored to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chimney cleaner constructed in accordance with the invention, applied to a chimney, shown in cross section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the chimney cleaner shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view showing the ratchet wheel and the mounting device of the power shaft.

Figure 4 is a detail cross sectional view showing the track and guide means.

Figure 5 is a top plan view showing the means for adjusting the vane supporting frame to fit various chimneys.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, l0 designates a chimney of substantially rectangular cross section to which the chimney cleaner is applied. In carrying out the invention a wind vane H is provided with a front arm I 2 carrying an arrowhead l3. The

front arm is provided with a pivot eye l4 which loosely receives a power shaft I5, as shown in Figure 3, to permit the vane to be turned on the shaft by wind pressure.

A ratchet device connects the vane l I with the shaft and includes a ratchet wheel l6 which is fixed to the shaft by a rivet H. A leaf spring I8 is secured by rivets l9 to the vane II and the free end of the leaf spring engages with the ratchet wheel. The leaf spring forms a pawl to advance the ratchet wheel a few notches at a time during fluctuations in wind pressure upon the vane to turn the shaft anti-clockwise.

The shaft is mounted to turn in a sleeve bearing 20 having a collar 2| which rests upon the upper end of a frame 22. The frame comprises downwardly inclined legs, each comprising a pair of telescopically assembled channel members 23 and 24. Both of the members have re istering slots to receive an adjusting bolt 25. The legs of the frame may be lengthened or shortened by adjustment of the bolt in the slots to accommodate the device to various sizes of chimneys. The lower ends of the legs are bent downwardly to extend along the outer surface of the top of the chimney, as shown at 26 in Figure 1, and are secured to the top of the chimney by J-bolts 21 which hook over the top of the chimney and extend downwardly along the inner surface of the chimney.

Disposed within the top of the chimney is a substantially rectangular track 28 formed of channel members, the intersections of the sides and ends of the channel members being rounded, as shown at 29, at the inner corners of the chimney, see Figure 2. The channel members are telescopically assembled and may be adjusted to fit various sizes of chimneys through the medium of adjusting bolts 30, best shown in Figure 6, passedthroug'h registering slots 3| in the members. The channel members open downwardly and form a track, as shown in Figure 4. Short bars 32 extend laterally from the bolts and overlap the top of the chimney to support the track in the chimney, see Figures 2 and 4.

A bar 33 is secured transversely of the lower end of the shaft l5, see Figure 1, and the ends of the bar have pivotally attached thereto short links 34 which extend in opposite direction from the ends of the bar, see Figure 2. These short links have mounted upon their free ends respective guide rollers 35, see Figure 4, which fit into the channel of the track and form guides to carry cleaning chains- 36, which are secured to the ends of the links 34, around the entire inner surface of the chimney to clean soot therefrom.

The device is automatic in operation since when there is any wind at all the vane II will respond accordingly and during variations in wind direction and pressure will impart step movement to the shaft l5 to carry the cleaning chains 36 in a clockwise direction around the inner surface of the chimney.

From the above description it is-thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explana tion.

What is claimed is:

1. A chimney cleaner comprising, a frame adapted to be secured to a chimney and to extend above the chimney, a vertically disposed shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, a wind vanepivotally connected to the upper end of the .shaft, a ratchet means connected to the wind vane and to the shaft for imparting step rotation 'tothe shaft, a guide frame adapted to be secured within the chimney, a cross arm connected to the lower end of the shaft, guide rollers connected to the cross arm and having sliding engagement with the guide frame, and cleaning chains connected at the upper ends to the cross arm.

2. A chimney cleaner comprising a frame adapted to be secured to the top of the chimney, a vertically disposed shaft carried by the frame, a wind vane having a forwardly projecting arm swivelly secured to the shaft, 2. leaf spring secured to the vane and forming a pawl, a ratchet wheel secured to the shaft and engaged by the pawl for advancing the shaft by step movements .dueto movements of the vane under fluctuations of windldirection and pressure, and chimney cleaning chains connected to the shaft and adapted to engage the inner surface of the chimney.

GRANVILLE A. PEARSON. 

